Wednesday, 30 October 2013

As I mentioned previously, I am going to incorporate health posts throughout the blog. I recently took the initiative to get back into shape and with the help of my friend I am planning on doing so before Summer 2014. As I will be spending the summer in Aruba by the beach, which girl wouldn't want to look good. I must admit that one of my many problems is my sweet tooth. I LOVE anything sweet and desserts. I was wondering what can I have for dessert before bed that is healthy yet satisfies my craving for sweets? That is when a bodybuilder friend of mine came to the rescue. He suggested I try casein pudding.

Casein being the main ingredient for this, is perfect because it is made to consume before bed. Why? Because casein is a slow-acting protein, it allows your muscles to stay nourished all through the night and not eat away while you sleep. It is a very simple recipe, quite tasty, and definitely sweet.

First start off by adding as many scoops as you would like servings in a bowl. Remember 1 scoop is equal to one serving.

Second, mix and add boiling water until you have reached a pudding like consistency. You can replace water by hot skim milk or hot almond milk but remember you are adding on calories.

Finally, once you have reached your desired consistency, poor it into a bowl and refrigerate it for about 30 minutes. When you pull it out of the fridge, you will notice that it has turned into a perfect panacotta like dessert. Sprinkle some ground cinnamon over it and enjoy it.

Simple way to enjoy a yummy, healthy and sweet late night snack guilt free. This simple version only contains: 120 calories, 1 gram of fat, 3 grams of carbs, and 24 grams of protein.

There are many alternatives to this simple cinnamon sprinkled version. For chocolate and PB lovers, you can incorporate a tsp of ground cocoa with a tsp of All Natural Peanut Butter for and irresistible, protein filled dessert.

I like to change the products that I use along with the seasons. Colour palettes and trends change from one season to another and I like to stay on top of things. I've always preferred a more nude look for the cold winter months. I've put away my colourful eye shadows and my bronzers for the next few months and took out my neutrals. Thanks to +Polyvore I was able to create an exact replica of my makeup case including my everyday goodies.

I'm really all over the place when it comes to makeup because I won't settle for anything but the best. For me, these are the products that work best and I prefer. Here's an overview:

Foundation: Finding the right foundation was really a touchy thing for me because my skin is so sensitive. I have tried countless different brands and I will not lie, it took me over a year to find the right one. Some were too oily, others too thick so I settled for something even better than foundation ... tinted moisturizer. I was lucky enough to be blessed with great skin so I never needed any "heavy duty" foundations so tinted moisturizers work perfectly. Not only to they even out you skin tone and hide slight imperfections, but they also moisturize at the same time. MAGIC! I began with the Mac tinted moisturizer, which I liked, this was until my local +Sephora store gave me a sample of their +Laura Mercier UK tinted moisturizer. It was love at first sight. The price tag gave me a bit of a heart attack but it is worth it. Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in Tawny $55

Mineral Powder: Because I use so little products on my face, I allow myself to add a mineralizing powder on my face to give it a finishing touch. My favourite is the Mac Loose powder. It leaves the skin with a natural glow and a gorgeous satin finish. I prefer mineral powders to bronzers because they help moisturize your skin and allow it to breathe. MAC Sheer/Loose Powder in NC40 $30

Mascara: So mascaras are always a touchy subject. Why? Because many can argue that your typical drugstore mascara is the same or even better than 30$ designer mascaras one would purchase from big name department stores. See I disagree. My mom tells me I'm crazy for spending 35$ on a mascara but I have yet to find a drugstore mascara which comes anywhere close to competing with "Le Volume de Chanel". I have tried countless drugstore brand mascaras, from Maybelline to CoverGirl, at my dissatisfaction. They all leaves clumps, feel heavy on my lashes, are rough to remove, and finally make my lashes fall out without even giving me the fullness and volume I expect from a mascara. "Le Volume" is the complete opposite, it is very lightweight, gentle on the eyes, and not a hassle to remove all while giving me full, stiletto long lashes. May I add that their waterline liner is exquisite as well. I normally have allergic reaction to drugstore eyeliners as they make my eyes itch. Chanel's was the first I could wear all day long without any discomfort. Chanel Le Volume in Noir $32

Eye Shadow: Never really been a fan of eye shadow, mostly because I've never really had the patience to apply it in the morning as I am always half asleep and simply to lazy to. But when I do apply eye shadow, it is Mac and SIMPLY Mac. Their colours are so vibrant, resistant and bold! Cold winter months, for me, call for a more dramatic look. I keep it fairly simply as I have one quad palette for the entire season. It consists of my 4 favourite Mac colours of all time and then I have a few on the side which I use on a fairly regular basis.

In my palette I keep: Espresso, Brule, DazzleLight, Naked Lunch, All That Glitters, Carbon, Satin Taupe, Amber Lights, Mulch, Phloof!, Woodwinked, Coppering, Honey Lust, and Mythology. They are fairly basic colours which I believe are a must for any makeup kit as they allow to make a nude yet dramatic and natural looking eye. Might I add that for a better hold and an extra shimmer, I always cover my eyelid with a Mac Paintpot in either Rubenesque or Painterly.

Liquid Liner: This has to be my favourite item in my entire kit, mostly because I can't get over just how amazing this product is. With my clumsiness there is no way I could use one of those tube liquid liners, it just does't work for me and it smudges and is never perfect. Because this liner isn't in the liquid form, it is so much easier to control and make perfect. It lasts all day without any smudging AND it is easy to remove. It is great to make the perfect cat eye. It is a little pricier than what most people are use to but definitely worth the price in my opinion.

Lip Gloss: This was definitely the part I was most eager to write about because these are my most prized possessions. I must own hundreds of different lip colours (and I am NOT exaggerating) but I will only name those that I praise for the winter season.

Starting with the Dazzleglass lip glosses, I swear I have an obsession with these things. They are perfect for a night out on the town because they give that extra edgy shine one wouldn't exactly wear to work or school. My faves are: Steppin' Out, Rags to Riches, Smile, and Baby Sparks.

Next are the legendary MAC Lipglass. Please know that I had a really hard time choosing just a few of my faves, if it were up to me I would have most likely named them all but I don't want to bore you :) My faves are: Oyster Girl, Myth, Purrr (my all time favourite), Florabundance, and C-Thru.

Finally my Mac Lipsticks, I am pretty sure I own every colour even though I don't wear half of them. I wasn't so hard to find my favourite because I always seem to come back to the same 7 colours : Creme D'Nude, Creme Cup, Snob, Honey Love, Hue, Shy Girl, and the legendary Angel.

Brushes: Last but not least, the brushes. I have never been really picky about brushes because you can find pretty good cheap ones. But I do have 3 brushed I could NOT replace for the life of me. These would be the MAC 187 Duo Fibre Face Brush which I use to apply my mineral powder, my MAC 263 Angle Brush which I need to apply my Bobbi Brown liner and finally my MAC 239 Eye Shader Brush. No matter what brand I try, I can never seem to replace these 3 brusher with a cheaper version!

Tuesday, 29 October 2013

I promised myself I wouldn't post too many "outfit of the day" but I just can't help it. My love for fall fashion has promoted the season of thanksgiving as my fave. In Canada, October means the first snowfall is right around the corner. Anything short of a scarf and tuque would mean you freezing your bum off for the rest of the day. Lucky for me, I could wear "pom-pom" hats and infinity scarfs all year round, that's just how much I love them.

As you will see in the following posts, I like to call my style "laid back chic". The comfier the better but it still has to look fabulous on. I never really one to linger on what to wear in the morning, to me, the less thought and effort you put into an outfit the better it looks. Like everything else in life, over thinking can be poisonous.

This is the type of outfit anyone would see me wearing to school: classic with a certain edge to it. The key to the perfect outfit are accessories. The reason I love this outfit so much is because it includes 3 of my favourite fall accessories: combat boots, infinity scarf, and a tuque. They've allowed me to turn a simple knit sweater and skinny jeans, into a Cara Delevingne inspired rocking outfit.

Welcome to my newest blog! I was never one to commit to any sort of "diary" both in the electronic or written form, but after seeing the success some acquaintances have had with theirs I decided to give it a try myself. This blog will be all about me, my musings, health posts, workout posts, fashion posts, the occasional "outfit of the day", and whatever I please really. I hope you'll enjoy it. Don't be afraid to comment on any post and also to share this blog with others!